Before the Coronavirus pandemic, it was predicted that the job opportunities in Germany in 2021 and beyond will be a mixture of newly generated employment and the need to replace those who leave or move on to other employment due to retirement. In fact, an aging population is a major reason for the skill shortage in Germany.
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Medical professionals
It was forecast that Germany will experience a shortage of medical professionals in the coming years. Individuals with a foreign degree in medicine can move to the country and get a license to practice medicine here. Applicants from both EU and non-Eu countries can obtain a license to practice in Germany. But their degree must be equal to the medical qualification in Germany.
Engineering professions
A high number of vacancies are projected for the following fields of engineering. There would be strong career opportunities for those with a university degree in any of these engineering areas:
- Structural engineering
- Computer science engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Automotive engineering
- Telecommunications
Job opportunities in MINT – Mathematics, Information technology, Natural sciences, and Technology
Individuals with degrees in mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, and technology (MINT) will have good job opportunities.
Jobs in non-specialized areas
It was predicted that there will also be job opportunities in Germany that do not require specialized qualifications such as nursing, industrial mechanics and retail sales.
Job outlook after the Coronavirus pandemic
However, with the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, the outlook has changed.
German employers are expecting the hiring to slow down in the third quarter of this year. Hiring prospects are expected to be bright in the construction, finance and business service and other service sectors. It is expected to slow down in the restaurants and hotel sector.
The German government on its part is trying its best to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the labor market. Measures such as Kurzarbeit, a short-time work program where the relationship between employers and employees are maintained, so that employees are able to contribute once business picks up.
This short-time work program where employees work for reduced hours when the business is low. The company pays for the hours worked and the government pays 60 to 67% of the pay for the hours not worked.
For German companies struggling with a shortage of skilled labor, this makes sense because employers do not run the risk of losing employees they have trained. Such programs help in the recovery form short-term economic slumps caused by factors like the present pandemic.
Such government support is welcome to German companies and their employees impacted by the pandemic. It is also an indication of the government’s support to the workforce and can be a positive factor to work in Germany.
Here are the salary details of the top sectors in Germany
| Sector | Average monthly
salary |
| Information technology | 3,830 EUR |
| Banking | 4,140 EUR |
| Telecommunications | 3,360 EUR |
| Human resources | 3,600 EUR |
| Engineering | 3,220 EUR |
| Marketing, advertising, PR | 4,270 EUR |
| Construction, real estate | 2,240 EUR |
Job outlook for 2021
Going by the trend, the demand for foreign personnel will increase further with the baby boomer generation set to retire in 2024. There will also be heavy job openings in the healthcare sector especially for nurses. There will be a demand for junior level positions in skilled trades and service profession and also in the warehouse and logistics sector.